Sorrow
by Delectable Sweetness
Summary: One - shot. Richard and Kahlan have a son instead of a daughter. This is just showing Richard's feelings about what must be done.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of the Seeker of the Sword of Truth Series. No copy infringement intended. However, I do own my own writing, my own characters and the plot to this story, Delectable Sweetness©.**

**Author's Note: This is just a quick one-shot showing Richard's feelings about having to deal with the fact that a male confessor cannot be allowed to live. **

Sorrow! That's all he felt! Sorrow at the fact that Kahlan had bore a son instead of a daughter… sorrow at the realisation of what he had to do. He stood there in a daze, holding his son. His whole body felt numb. He felt hot salty tears falling down his face. The room was quiet, only heavy breathing could be heard throughout the room. Only Kahlan, Zedd and he were present, after Kahlan had ordered her ladies maids and Marion, the midwife, to leave the room. Cara had opted to wait outside and give them their privacy.

He guessed she didn't want to deal with all the emotion. He couldn't say he blamed her. He wasn't sure if he wanted to either.

Richard had been so happy when Kahlan had been giving birth. He hadn't been able wait to meet his new daughter, the next confessor, but the look on the midwife's face when the baby had been delivered had given Richard a horrible feeling in his gut. He had known something had been wrong. He hadn't been able to understand why she had looked so frightened. His heart had skipped a beat and his breathing had stopped, thinking that the child had been still born and that's why she had looked frightened, almost unsure of what to say to the Mother Confessor. When he had heard a loud wail he had let out a sigh of relief.

Kahlan had smiled after hearing the baby cry, but her brow had been furrowed because Richard had known that she hadn't missed the frightened look on the midwifes face. She had taken the baby away and had wrapped him in swaddling clothes. When she had turned around, she had hesitantly told Kahlan that it was a boy. He would forever remember the loud scream that had issued out of Kahlan's mouth. She had burst into tears, taking her eyes off of their son. She hadn't been able look at him. Richard knew what had to be done. He had listened, horrified at what had to be done if there was ever a male confessor born.

He knew because he had to stand by and listen to Dennee, Kahlan's sister, order her mate to kill her child. Richard had been horrified and he hadn't been able to believe what he had been hearing.

Zedd had explained everything to him, giving him some understanding. He supposed he still didn't fully understand. Richard had stopped that child from dying.

Now though, he looked down upon his son, wondering. What harm could he do? He was just a child. He was innocent. Last time Richard had checked, it was not a crime to bring a child into the world to two parents who loved it. Why should his child be any different? At last he found his voice and spoke.

"Kahlan?" He spoke attentively. "Please, just look at him." Kahlan hadn't looked at their son, not once. Richard could see it in her face that she just wanted him taken away. He tried to convince her to just hold him. He didn't even have a name. "Dear Spirits, Kahlan! He's our child, your son. At least let him have the feel of a mother's touch… before you so hopelessly abandon him." Richard spoke. It had come out sounding more of a bitter resentment for what she was doing than he had meant it to, but he wasn't going to hold his emotions back, not this time.

Kahlan glared at him, keeping her eyes fixed on his and away from the baby. "How dare you… Do you have any idea what it's like to know that the child you love, that you carried for nine months, shared your body with, has to be taken away, and worst of all has to be killed all because of its gender?" Her voice was heavy with emotion. Richard just stood there, staring at the woman he loved; having to look at the hurt in her eyes broke his heart. She looked away, turning her eyes back towards the wall.

Richard felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Zedd staring at him, grief etched on to his face. "Richard."

"Zedd please, make her see sense… He's just a child."

"My dear boy, you have to understand that male confessors cannot be allowed to live. The lust for power is too great within them. If he was allowed to live, he would only bring despair upon the lives of the innocent." Zedd spoke in a gentle tone.

Richard looked down at the sleeping form in his arms. He looked so much like Kahlan. He had her brown hair and her magnificent blue eyes. How could he kill such an innocent little thing? He couldn't.

"Zedd, I can't do what has been asked… I cannot kill this child."

All of a sudden he heard Kahlan shout. "You must… There is no other way… He must die."

"Please Kahlan; maybe our child will be different. Maybe he will grow up to help people… just like his mother."

"No! He won't!"

"You're the, Mother Confessor… Aren't you sworn to protect all life?"

"Yes." She spoke through gritted teeth. "That's what I'm doing; making sure that innocent people will not have a lifetime of despair brought upon them by a monster... I will not be responsible for the dark times returning."

Richard was shocked. He had never seen Kahlan like this; it was almost as if she was in the Con Dar. "How can you call your child a monster?"

"Richard." This time it was Zedd speaking. "It's the law. It has to be done. It is the duty of the, Mother Confessor to uphold the law. If she changes it to suit herself then she will be betraying the trust and love of her people. I'm sure you wouldn't want to put Kahlan in that position?"

Richard looked into his grandfather's weary eyes. A tear rolling down his face, he finally whispered, "no… I don't want to do that." Richard's heart broke at his last statement. There was no way around it. It had to be done and he had to do it. He knew that it was pointless trying to convince Kahlan otherwise. He could talk to his last breath trying, but he knew that once her mind was made up, she could not be swayed.

"Ok Kahlan… I'll do it, but only because I love you… and it is your wish that it must be done."

Kahlan burst into tears again. Richard knew that she must feel terrible for what she was making him do. A part of him deep down wanted her to feel guilty, to feel the pain of having their son mercilessly killed. His love for her though, would never falter no matter what happened.

He rocked his son in his arms, taking in his features, the perfect little O his mouth formed as he slept. Oh, how he looked so peaceful. That's what Richard wanted, just one memory of his son, looking contented and peaceful. He knew that so long as he lived he would never ever forgive himself for what he was about to do. It would haunt him for the rest of his days.

It broke his heart to know that he didn't even have a name. Richard racked his brain searching for the perfect name, one that he could give his son, knowing how much he loved and cared for him. He went through dozens of names, not satisfied with any of them. None seemed to suit him. One name came to mind, the name of the person he most loved in the world, other than Kahlan and his grandfather. The person that always brought a smile to his face and loved him, always telling him how proud they were of him. Richard gave a small smile. A tear dropped onto the child's face. Lifting his son up towards his face, Richard gave him a gentle kiss on his soft forehead and whispered in his tiny ear.

"Know that I love you, my son, my little George."

**Author's Note: So what did you think? Was it any good? I'm not so sure about the ending. Sorry it wasn't longer. I hoped you enjoyed reading it. **

**Thank you for reading.**

**Review please. **


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